Speeches
 Miss Berndl's Fabulous Fours

English       Oral & Visual Communication

Doing your first formal speech is very hard to do. At the Junior level, speeches need to be between 3 and 5 minutes long. They may be researched or they may be written out of your head. They may be funny or they may be serious. Choose from the following topics to learn more:
  1. Suggestions for Preparing a Speech
  2. Some Titles of Recent Grade 4 Speeches
  3. Steps To Follow In Preparing A Speech 
  4. Saying your Speech in Front of the Class.
  5. Some Examples of Grade 4 Speeches

 
Public Speaking Made Easy - Suggestions for Preparing a Speech
Source Unknown
 
  1. Topics
    The topic must appeal o the audience.
    Funny speeches are harder to write.
  2. Opening Statement
    Start with an "ear catching" opening such as:
    use a quotation
    ask a question
    state a fact
    promise something
    arouse suspense
    offer a challenge
    Address the teacher or chairperson, audience before or after the opening statement. Either is OK.
  3. Voice
    Speak up!!!! Remember the people at the back of the room.
    Vary your pitch, tone and speed.
  4. Gestures
    Gestures are important - use your face, your eyebrows, your shoulders, your hands.
    Practice your gestures every time you practice your speech so that they become natural to you.
    Don't overdo the gestures so that they become ridiculous.
    You may not walk about - stay in one spot.
    Props are not allowed.
  5. Eye contact
    Look at the audience - not the floor or the ceiling.
    Don't look at your friends if they distract you.
    You can look at your cue cards if you have not fully memorized the speech - but look up in between.
    Don't just look at one person in the audience - but don't mechanically scan the audience side to side either.
  6. Pause effectively
    Practice your pauses. Leave a moment if you expect the audience to laugh.
    Speak more slowly than you feel like. Being nervous makes you speak quickly & shortens the speech.
  7. Relax - stand comfortably
     Be aware of nervous mannerisms and eliminate them.
  8. Let your face reflect your emotions
    Happy Talks - Look Happy! Serious Talks -Look Serious.
  9. Cue Cards
    Write your speech out in full sentences on cue cards.
    Don't have half a sentence on 1 card and the 2nd half on the other card. Start a new cue card if the sentence won't fit.
    Write only on one side of the cue cards. Number them. Clip them together with a ring.
    Practice with your cue cards.
    If you practice enough, you will end up memorizing most or all of your speech.
    Don't rewrite your cue cards just before you give your speech.
  10. Closing
    Do not finish your speech with "The end".
    This is your last opportunity to influence your audience.
    A clear, short, strong, positive ending is best.

     
Saying your Speech in Front of the Class
You may use a cue card. Your speech should be written out in full sentences. Only write on 1 side of the card. That way you won't get confused by shuffling the cards. Connect your cards with a paper clip, a ring or a small chain so that the cards don't go out of order should you drop them.
You will be evaluated by the teacher when you say your speech. The students in the class will also rate your speech however their rating will remain private. They will rate speeches on: Content/Information, Interesting, Voice, Eye Contact with Audience for a total mark out of 20.
Each student in the class will recommend 3 students to enter the Junior Public Speaking contest. 
The teacher choose the 2 students to enter the Public Speaking Contest. Students may refuse to speak in front of the school if they are chosen for this. 

 
Some recent Titles of Grade 4 speeches

My big sister, Planets My Labrador Retriever, My Life as a Twin, My trip to Florida, The Environment, Disney World, My Life as a smaller brother, History of Cats, Life without Homework, Life with Two Older Brothers, Las Vegas, Smoking, My Baby Sister, My Rat, Martial Arts, Life with Step-Parents, Hair, Pets, My Life as a Dog, Addictions, Dolphins, Cats, Alzheimer's Disease, My Dad, Money, Horses, Bearded Dragons, My Grandparents Journey, Tornadoes, My Annoying Sister

 

Steps To Follow In Preparing A Speech (with approximate time lines) for presenting a speech by 2nd week in February

Public Speaking – Grade 4 Speeches Term 2 - 2005

E. Berndl          

 

  1. What is a speech?
    3 to 5 minutes long prepared speech
    written out in full sentences on cue cards
    practiced so often by reading that it is almost or fully memorized – though it doesn’t have to be memorized
    does not have to be memorized but it is a script – therefore it must be said the exact same way every time it is presented – no improvisation
    props are not allowed, no costumes
    no excessive movements like running
    dramatic hand gestures, facial expressions OK
    use the voice dramatically through pacing, pauses, pitch, tone
    topic can be researched or from own knowledge – but no retelling of stories or make believe story-telling
    easiest topics for beginning speakers is to speak about what they know about
  2. Speech writing process
    Decide on a topic
    Listen to / look at some speeches from other years done by gr. 4 students – video, written examples on FabFour web site, bound booklet in classroom
    Make a Topic Web with 5 sub-headings, add point form notes under each of the sub-headings
    Choose 3 of the sub-headings & write about them in full sentences in writing notebook. Don’t worry about spelling. Don’t write your introduction or conclusion yet – you will do that at the end.
    Read what you have written & time yourself. This will give you an idea of how much more you need to write to get within the time limit.
    Read what you have written out loud to someone. Ask for feedback to make it more interesting.
    Write more until you have about 3 minutes worth of a speech. Then write your Introduction & Conclusion. See handouts for suggestions. They will add about 15 seconds to your speech.
  3. Practicing saying your speech

·         The best way to practice is to say your speech out loud in the largest room in your house. The reason for this is so that you will speak loud enough to be heard at the back. No matter how good your speech is, if nobody can hear it, it will be a poor speech.

·         Practice, practice, practice – keep reading your speech out loud over & over again. After a while you will have it almost memorized. Remember to look up at the audience.

  1. Most common problems with speeches – some advice

·         Print out your speech on cue cards neatly – you need to be able to read your speech without putting the card to your nose.

    Only write on 1 side of your cue card. Most speeches are about 5 or 6 cards long. Hole punch in top left corner of the cards & link them with string.
    Slow down. Most people speed up when they are nervous.
    Look up at the audience. Don’t look only at a friend or the person who might make you laugh.
    Speak loudly. Throw your voice to the back of the room. Move your lips when you speak.
    You will be standing behind a desk or podium when you present. Don’t lean on the podium. Don’t swing your legs.
    Don’t sway from side to side.
    Make sure you pronounce all of the words in your speech correctly – especially place names or scientific terms.
    Don’t act nervous even if you are. You are on stage from the moment you get up till you sit down in your seat. Don’t let the audience know if you made a mistake. Just keep going.
    Vary your voice. Exaggerate your  voice – you are acting. Speeches are larger than life.
  1. Time Lines

·         January 7th – topic chosen

·         January 28th – rough draft all written out including introduction & conclusion & timed

·         February 1st – cue cards written out

·         February 14th – speeches start in class – order determined by Lucky Draw

·         March 10th – 2 best students in class say their speeches - Junior Public Speaking Contest
 

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